והיה אם שמע תשמעו אל מצותי ... לאהבה את ה' אלקיכם ולעבדו בכל לבבכם ובכל נפשכם ... (יא-יג)
Many commentaries are troubled by the discrepancy between the first parsha of Shema, where it says ובכל מאדך as a means to serve Hashem, and the second parsha, where those words are omitted.
The Ohr Hachayim Hakadosh explains that the first parsha speaks in singular form. A yachid, an individual, may indeed treasure his money, ובכל מאדך, over his soul or life, ובכל נפשך. Which is why, says the Gemara, the Torah said ובכל מאדך last. However, the parsha of והיה is written in plural form. Klal Yisroel, as a whole, will never put money before their lives. Therefore the Torah did not have to say בכל מאדכם.
I saw another, deep, ‘dakusdike’ thought from the Shem M’Shmuel. The Gemara says that the word מאדך refers to money. Why is that specific term chosen to represent money? He explains that מאדך denotes endless, unlimited, from the word מאד. Chazal teach us that one who has 100 (מנה) will want 200 (מאתיים). The pursuit of money is never-ending. So when the Torah instructs us to serve Hashem, using the singular form, it includes בכל מאדך, since an individual is otherwise limited; a yachid, by himself, does not possess every trait needed to serve Hashem. Whereas the second parsha which addresses a group, a tzibbur, need not say ובכל מאדכם, because the very essence of a tzibbur is all encompassing - they collectively have every trait, every component, needed to serve Hashem.
This is a vital lesson, as Tisha B’av is still in our rearview mirror and we are focused on retaining our commitment to achdus. It behooves us to be part of a cohesive group, a kehilla. As explained in the above thought, as a tzibbur, we possess all possible מעלות, positive traits, which we can learn from one another and become much improved members of Klal Yisroel.
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